They are still undefeated in all competitions this season and have yet to concede a goal, a throwback to the defensive iron curtain that characterised the 1980s. The last time they recorded five consecutive clean sheets was 13 years ago. “It breeds confidence,” boomed Calderwood. “Let’s enjoy it while we can. We could have scored a lot more, but there’s still a lot of work to do.”
The Aberdeen fans rolled up in numbers, and there was a similarly impressive midfield congregation gandering forward to assist the hosts’ attack in the early stages. The one enduring bone of contention gnawing away at the nit-pickers so far in this youthful campaign has been that, for all their hunger, Aberdeen have not gorged themselves in front of goal. Indeed, prior to this match, Noel Whelan’s strike at East End Park was their solitary League goal.
Bodies were slung downfield with intent from the off. On the right, Steve Tosh irked Burton O’Brien and Emmanuel Dorado with that indomitable style of his, most visibly in the 10th minute when he cushioned Derek Adams’ lay-off to thrash the ball into the six yard box. John Stewart, buzzing in from the opposite flank, drew his leg back to shoot but Roddy McKenzie, in the Livingston goal, wrestled back possession.
Tosh continued to find space in the visitors’ defence. Bundling infield, he walloped a drive from distance that McKenzie nicked around the post. From the resulting corner, another midfielder, Markus Heikkinen, produced a springing header that roasted McKenzie’s fingers.
Livingston couldn’t point to one assault of note on David Preece’s domain in the entire first half. McKenzie was less redundant. One of the more dexterous shot-stoppers in the division, he stood up capably.
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On the half hour, Stewart willed the ball towards the top corner with a noxious 30-yard strike, only for McKenzie to wheel to his right and ward it off. Four minutes down the line, he looked to be beaten as Scott Severin hit a free-kick through the defensive wall, but Zander Diamond inadvertently blocked the shot for him, and in doing so proved the validity of the old tenet about never turning your back on the ball.
That was just about the only instance of Aberdeen’s play not being forward thinking. Early in the second period Scott Severin chanced his arm with a looping pitch from well outside the penalty area that didn’t have the legs to carry it past McKenzie. That he was prepared to chance it was a statement of intent. However, Aberdeen were still yearning for some conviction in front of goal. As it turned out, Livingston were to offer them a hand, although David McNamee might demur as to the terminology.
The right-back was struck down by a Steven Craig half-volley from close range and hit the turf clasping his face. Referee Mike McCurry deemed the contact to have been with his hand, signalling that he had dived to palm the ball away. A penalty was awarded and McNamee, already booked, was shown the red card. “How he’s meant to get out the way from two yards, I really don’t know. The rate the ball was hit, it’s impossible,” said Livingston coach Allan Preston. “McCurry said he’d phone me after he’s had a look at it again. If I’m wrong, I’ll phone him.” Craig, who scored his first goal for the Pittodrie club in the midweek CIS Cup win over Berwick Rangers, barged aside all others to hurtle his conversion high into the net.
He dished up another wholesome finish a few minutes later. After creeping out to the left to rid himself of his marker, he galloped inwards to arch a lob over the dumbstruck McKenzie.
However, the former Motherwell man bodged the chance of an eight-minute hat-trick by dragging a low shot horribly wide from the edge of the area with no Livingston defender even in the frame. “That was probably the easiest chance of the lot,” tittered Calderwood. “But he had the confidence to take the penalty and his second goal was magnificent.”
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Unruffled, Craig did his utmost to get a third goal. His discerning cross-field ball played in Tosh, who angled a shot across McKenzie’s body. The goalkeeper’s scrambled touch fell invitingly for Heikkinen to pan in a rip-roaring effort that Oscar Rubio sprang to head off the goal-line.
STAR MAN: Steven Craig (Aberdeen)
Player ratings. Aberdeen: Preece 6, McNaughton 7, Anderson 7, Diamond 6, McGuire 6, Tosh 7 (Pasquinelli 79min, 6), Severin 7, Heikkinen 7, Stewart 7, Craig 8 (Muirhead 84min, 6), Adams 6
Livingston: McKenzie 7, McNamee 5, Rubio 6, Bahoken 5, Dorado 5, Boyack 5, Easton 6, Lovell 6 (McLaughlin 79min, 6), O’Brien 7, Hamilton 5 (McMenamin 69min, 6), Lilley 6
Scorers: Aberdeen: Craig 63pen, 68
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Booked: Lilley (51min), McNamee (53min), Bahoken (60min), Adams (78min), McLaughlin (90min)
Sent-off: McNamee (62min) Referee: M McCurry
Attendance: 13,385